Abdullah719
T20I Captain
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2013
- Runs
- 44,826
"I have no desire to captain any side any more, not even in domestic cricket" : Shoaib Malik
Shoaib Malik speaking on TV:
On Pakistan's performance at the Gabba
"I think the way Pakistan played at the Gabba is like a win for them. Sure they lost the match, but the Australian team is on the back foot. In the post match hand-shake, I saw Smith was very relieved and their celebrations were big which showed the match almost slipped from their hands. It's a good sign for Pakistan cricket to be giving such performances, even in Australia despite lack of cricket at home."
"There is a lot of bounce at the Gabba and if the batsmen are managing that then they'll find it easier at MCG and SCG."
"Even though Australian batting is not as strong as it used to be but their bowling attack is still the best in the world. They even have the likes of Smith, Warner and Khawaja who are doing well with the bat. So the credit goes to the Pakistan team for the way they fought."
"Asad Shafiq showed character. To score a hundred from that position and to take Pakistan close to victory is excellent. The others can learn from the way he played."
Getting along with others
"Being a professional, I have no problem with anyone. Even if I don't get along with someone, that's kept on the side. I am representing my country and my job is to give 100% and perform. When I have entered the ground, I have no differences with anyone."
"My performances in the past before my comeback could have been better. I always used to look for excuses previously. Since returning, I always try to help others. People always have differences but it's a team game."
"I have played leagues all over the world and you can't be dependant on anyone there. The expectation is high specially from overseas cricketers so you have to aim to be the best performer and constantly improve which has helped me."
Spot in the batting order
"My spot in the batting order has never been set in stone though I played at #3 under Inzi bhai for a while. Even in domestic cricket, I have a flexible role, under my own captaincy as well. I have never had a problem with my spot in the batting order. However, if you're told your specific role in the batting order then you know exactly what to do and how to approach the innings."
"For now, I have been told that I will bat at #4 in both formats. Mickey Arthur told me during the Ireland tour that he wanted me at #6, stating the reasons such as experience and the requirement to take the innings deep and finish off strongly. So I accepted that role at the time. When we lost 4 matches against England then Azhar Ali told me that I'll bat at #4 and we won the game as well. Both captains in limited overs have told the players their roles and I think that is one of the reasons behind our improving performances."
Waqar Younis, Mickey Arthur and management
"The coach is there to give you confidence. There shouldn't be any communication gap with the coach and the players if someone's confidence is low. I have noticed that Mickey has good communication with the players. The selection committee is also close to the coach and decisions are taken with mutual understanding."
"I have played a lot with Inzi bhai and he values captains very highly. He feels the captain knows the best so he supports the captain and the management as they are the ones who go into the ground and fight. He supports them."
"I received a lot of backing and support from Waqar Younis when I returned to the team which has seen me put up some good performances. He gave me a lot of confidence. He said that you need to go out there and play this particular brand of cricket. I don't think there's any insecurity amongst the players now."
"I never saw any differences between Waqar Younis and Sarfraz Ahmed. Sarfraz is a fighter and he has a good brain for captaincy. It was the right decision to give him captaincy and he should retain that position for at least 3 or 4 years."
Captaincy
"I have played cricket for so long and now I just want to enjoy it. Our captains in the limited overs formats are quite young in terms of captaincy. I want to help them out. They ask me for help and even if they don't, I try to help them out. No one is senior or junior for me, I respect everyone. Even if some junior person criticises me but that ends up being good for the team, I accept it. I have learnt that flexibility in life is very important and that you can't get far in life with a big ego."
"Our captains need to be appointed for a lengthy period. They will win and lose matches but results will only improve if the base is strong. Our goal is the 2019 World Cup. To achieve a goal, constant changes don't help."
"It's impossible for any captain of Pakistan to not be under pressure. It's always there. Azhar wasn't visibly under a lot of pressure in the England series because his own performances were OK. He has the capability to withstand the pressure. I think England is the best ODI team in the world nowadays. Our results could have been better but we had a fairly inexperienced team therefore people should be a little flexible. We want results overnight but that isn't possible."
"The type of captain I am, can not work in Pakistan cricket. I work in my own way and I need my own team - as they are my own responsibility. And I need clarity. Perhaps I am wrong. This doesn't mean that the system is wrong or my way is wrong - but my method can not work. Without captaincy, I can focus on my own performances, help others and advice youngsters."
"If I was offered captaincy today until the 2019 World Cup, I wouldn't accept it. I have no desire to captain any side any more, not even in domestic cricket. I was offered captaincy in CPL also and I refused. When I accepted captaincy in 2007, I wasn't thinking straight. I had mistakenly thought everyone would share my views. It doesn't happen like that. It's not that I didn't get support when I became captain. Dr. Nasim Ashraf gave me full authority. But there's a selection committee and the Chief Selector has a lot of say. Other angles come into play and I feel the results are not good. If I was thinking the same way in 2007, I wouldn't have accepted captaincy then either."
"People make mistakes in life but that doesn't mean they will continue doing that. The match in 2004 which I deliberately lost was a mistake."
PSL
"First year in franchise cricket is a learning curve. Sure we had a bad experience with Karachi Kings in the first season but improvement comes with time. The first year doesn't always elevate you to the top, it can take time."
"I'm still very good friends with Ravi Bopara. The statement that he gave during PSL - I still don't know what all it was about. These are all very small things. He said that his statement was twisted. We have a good relationship."
"Regarding captaincy, I don't enjoy it any more. I enjoy my cricket. I want to simplify life. Karachi had never won a domestic tournament and I have lived here for 12 years too. So it was the first year of PSL and I had a desire to win the trophy for Karachi. Winning is a very big thing for me but we were losing all the matches. I thought maybe it'll be better if another captain comes and changes things up a bit."
"I was supposed to play for Islamabad United firstly. I was captain for that team. The franchise owners and the management had done their homework. I was constantly in touch with the Islamabad team. But then in the morning, I learnt I was picked by Karachi. It was a new experience for all of us as it was the first year. But by the middle of the tournament and the end of it, things had improved."
"The ultimate responsibility regarding corruption is up to the individual. ICC has done a lot to remove corruption but the cricketer has to be the one who is proactive to report any approaches."
Retirement from Test cricket
"In the midst of the Test series against England, I had a talk with my family and those close to me. I tried to convince those who didn't want me to retire. It's not necessary for one to stay on and play to give something to the country. Sometimes you can do that by leaving."
"I felt someone younger could come and be a part of the team for a longer period. Our Test team is also more settled and developed in comparison to the other teams so I wanted a couple of youngsters to be in the reckoning. There were quite a few reasons. I feel it was the right decision and I am very happy to see youngsters like Babar Azam and Sami Aslam in the Test team now, and doing well."
Asif Zakir
"Asif Zakir is very good cricketer and he knows how to make runs. He can play fast as well. The best thing about him is that he plays pacers well, though he is good against spin too. He has patience and knows how to take pressure. If he is to be given a chance, I feel it should be in the longer format."
Younis and Misbah
"People talk a lot about replacing Younis and Misbah but I think they should be sat down with and there should be a discussion about what they want. After that, there should be a mutual understanding between all parties. We also have many big names but no one has hit 10,000 runs for Pakistan so we should back Younis Khan as much as possible."
Misc
"Talent is always there but talent can't bring you success. It's your hard work and learning process which takes you somewhere. You also need to have the physical fitness."
"I am a little self-obsessed so I want to look good. I always try to go to the gym and spend some time as often as possible. There is a concept in domestic cricket that if you train today, you will be exhausted tomorrow. I feel it's the opposite. You should be energised the next day."
"I think playing in UAE has brought our one-day cricket down a lot. Batting first is usually easy there so winning the toss is always essential as the ball swings around at night."
"The finisher role has been reduced nowadays as batsmen have to bat aggressively after a few balls anyway. What's important is that batsmen need to take the innings deep and then whoever is there should take responsibility to finish the game. But it's a requirement nowadays to keep the bowlers on the back foot all the time in limited overs cricket."
"Pakistan don't have a lot of big names but the team has to collectively perform as a unit to go in the right direction in ODI cricket. We need to be consistent and the board and management has a big role to play in that."
"You should have a different captain for Test cricket and one captain for both ODI and T20 cricket."
Shoaib Malik speaking on TV:
On Pakistan's performance at the Gabba
"I think the way Pakistan played at the Gabba is like a win for them. Sure they lost the match, but the Australian team is on the back foot. In the post match hand-shake, I saw Smith was very relieved and their celebrations were big which showed the match almost slipped from their hands. It's a good sign for Pakistan cricket to be giving such performances, even in Australia despite lack of cricket at home."
"There is a lot of bounce at the Gabba and if the batsmen are managing that then they'll find it easier at MCG and SCG."
"Even though Australian batting is not as strong as it used to be but their bowling attack is still the best in the world. They even have the likes of Smith, Warner and Khawaja who are doing well with the bat. So the credit goes to the Pakistan team for the way they fought."
"Asad Shafiq showed character. To score a hundred from that position and to take Pakistan close to victory is excellent. The others can learn from the way he played."
Getting along with others
"Being a professional, I have no problem with anyone. Even if I don't get along with someone, that's kept on the side. I am representing my country and my job is to give 100% and perform. When I have entered the ground, I have no differences with anyone."
"My performances in the past before my comeback could have been better. I always used to look for excuses previously. Since returning, I always try to help others. People always have differences but it's a team game."
"I have played leagues all over the world and you can't be dependant on anyone there. The expectation is high specially from overseas cricketers so you have to aim to be the best performer and constantly improve which has helped me."
Spot in the batting order
"My spot in the batting order has never been set in stone though I played at #3 under Inzi bhai for a while. Even in domestic cricket, I have a flexible role, under my own captaincy as well. I have never had a problem with my spot in the batting order. However, if you're told your specific role in the batting order then you know exactly what to do and how to approach the innings."
"For now, I have been told that I will bat at #4 in both formats. Mickey Arthur told me during the Ireland tour that he wanted me at #6, stating the reasons such as experience and the requirement to take the innings deep and finish off strongly. So I accepted that role at the time. When we lost 4 matches against England then Azhar Ali told me that I'll bat at #4 and we won the game as well. Both captains in limited overs have told the players their roles and I think that is one of the reasons behind our improving performances."
Waqar Younis, Mickey Arthur and management
"The coach is there to give you confidence. There shouldn't be any communication gap with the coach and the players if someone's confidence is low. I have noticed that Mickey has good communication with the players. The selection committee is also close to the coach and decisions are taken with mutual understanding."
"I have played a lot with Inzi bhai and he values captains very highly. He feels the captain knows the best so he supports the captain and the management as they are the ones who go into the ground and fight. He supports them."
"I received a lot of backing and support from Waqar Younis when I returned to the team which has seen me put up some good performances. He gave me a lot of confidence. He said that you need to go out there and play this particular brand of cricket. I don't think there's any insecurity amongst the players now."
"I never saw any differences between Waqar Younis and Sarfraz Ahmed. Sarfraz is a fighter and he has a good brain for captaincy. It was the right decision to give him captaincy and he should retain that position for at least 3 or 4 years."
Captaincy
"I have played cricket for so long and now I just want to enjoy it. Our captains in the limited overs formats are quite young in terms of captaincy. I want to help them out. They ask me for help and even if they don't, I try to help them out. No one is senior or junior for me, I respect everyone. Even if some junior person criticises me but that ends up being good for the team, I accept it. I have learnt that flexibility in life is very important and that you can't get far in life with a big ego."
"Our captains need to be appointed for a lengthy period. They will win and lose matches but results will only improve if the base is strong. Our goal is the 2019 World Cup. To achieve a goal, constant changes don't help."
"It's impossible for any captain of Pakistan to not be under pressure. It's always there. Azhar wasn't visibly under a lot of pressure in the England series because his own performances were OK. He has the capability to withstand the pressure. I think England is the best ODI team in the world nowadays. Our results could have been better but we had a fairly inexperienced team therefore people should be a little flexible. We want results overnight but that isn't possible."
"The type of captain I am, can not work in Pakistan cricket. I work in my own way and I need my own team - as they are my own responsibility. And I need clarity. Perhaps I am wrong. This doesn't mean that the system is wrong or my way is wrong - but my method can not work. Without captaincy, I can focus on my own performances, help others and advice youngsters."
"If I was offered captaincy today until the 2019 World Cup, I wouldn't accept it. I have no desire to captain any side any more, not even in domestic cricket. I was offered captaincy in CPL also and I refused. When I accepted captaincy in 2007, I wasn't thinking straight. I had mistakenly thought everyone would share my views. It doesn't happen like that. It's not that I didn't get support when I became captain. Dr. Nasim Ashraf gave me full authority. But there's a selection committee and the Chief Selector has a lot of say. Other angles come into play and I feel the results are not good. If I was thinking the same way in 2007, I wouldn't have accepted captaincy then either."
"People make mistakes in life but that doesn't mean they will continue doing that. The match in 2004 which I deliberately lost was a mistake."
PSL
"First year in franchise cricket is a learning curve. Sure we had a bad experience with Karachi Kings in the first season but improvement comes with time. The first year doesn't always elevate you to the top, it can take time."
"I'm still very good friends with Ravi Bopara. The statement that he gave during PSL - I still don't know what all it was about. These are all very small things. He said that his statement was twisted. We have a good relationship."
"Regarding captaincy, I don't enjoy it any more. I enjoy my cricket. I want to simplify life. Karachi had never won a domestic tournament and I have lived here for 12 years too. So it was the first year of PSL and I had a desire to win the trophy for Karachi. Winning is a very big thing for me but we were losing all the matches. I thought maybe it'll be better if another captain comes and changes things up a bit."
"I was supposed to play for Islamabad United firstly. I was captain for that team. The franchise owners and the management had done their homework. I was constantly in touch with the Islamabad team. But then in the morning, I learnt I was picked by Karachi. It was a new experience for all of us as it was the first year. But by the middle of the tournament and the end of it, things had improved."
"The ultimate responsibility regarding corruption is up to the individual. ICC has done a lot to remove corruption but the cricketer has to be the one who is proactive to report any approaches."
Retirement from Test cricket
"In the midst of the Test series against England, I had a talk with my family and those close to me. I tried to convince those who didn't want me to retire. It's not necessary for one to stay on and play to give something to the country. Sometimes you can do that by leaving."
"I felt someone younger could come and be a part of the team for a longer period. Our Test team is also more settled and developed in comparison to the other teams so I wanted a couple of youngsters to be in the reckoning. There were quite a few reasons. I feel it was the right decision and I am very happy to see youngsters like Babar Azam and Sami Aslam in the Test team now, and doing well."
Asif Zakir
"Asif Zakir is very good cricketer and he knows how to make runs. He can play fast as well. The best thing about him is that he plays pacers well, though he is good against spin too. He has patience and knows how to take pressure. If he is to be given a chance, I feel it should be in the longer format."
Younis and Misbah
"People talk a lot about replacing Younis and Misbah but I think they should be sat down with and there should be a discussion about what they want. After that, there should be a mutual understanding between all parties. We also have many big names but no one has hit 10,000 runs for Pakistan so we should back Younis Khan as much as possible."
Misc
"Talent is always there but talent can't bring you success. It's your hard work and learning process which takes you somewhere. You also need to have the physical fitness."
"I am a little self-obsessed so I want to look good. I always try to go to the gym and spend some time as often as possible. There is a concept in domestic cricket that if you train today, you will be exhausted tomorrow. I feel it's the opposite. You should be energised the next day."
"I think playing in UAE has brought our one-day cricket down a lot. Batting first is usually easy there so winning the toss is always essential as the ball swings around at night."
"The finisher role has been reduced nowadays as batsmen have to bat aggressively after a few balls anyway. What's important is that batsmen need to take the innings deep and then whoever is there should take responsibility to finish the game. But it's a requirement nowadays to keep the bowlers on the back foot all the time in limited overs cricket."
"Pakistan don't have a lot of big names but the team has to collectively perform as a unit to go in the right direction in ODI cricket. We need to be consistent and the board and management has a big role to play in that."
"You should have a different captain for Test cricket and one captain for both ODI and T20 cricket."
